A Stratford subcommittee has recommended hiring a crossing guard starting in September for the Morgan Street and Simcoe Street intersection to address student-safety concerns revolving around traffic congestion during morning and afternoon pickup for the nearby Anne Hathaway School. Galen Simmons/The Beacon Herald/Postmedia Network

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Concerns over traffic congestion before and after school at Anne Hathaway public school has prompted Stratford politicians to consider placing a crossing guard at the nearby Simcoe Street and Morgan Street intersection in September.Councillors voted at Wednesday’s infrastructure, transportation and safety subcommittee meeting to recommend placing a crossing guard at that intersection after a parent sent a letter to Coun. Brad Beatty in January outlining her concerns.“Over the last nine years, (I’ve) always seen a staff member crossing students on Simcoe Street,” Tricia Aitken wrote. “Suddenly this year, the staff member has disappeared. Since September, I have witnessed several near misses and watched as older students (grades 4-6) struggle to safely cross younger students across Simcoe Street.”According to her letter, Aitken approached Anne Hathaway principal Greg Haber about the issue, and he told her Stratford police had put a stop to staff acting as crossing guards. As deputy city clerk Tatiana Dafoe told councillors at the subcommittee meeting, the Stratford Police Service was simply enforcing the Highway Traffic Act, which regulates who can or can’t act as crossing guards.While Coun. Dave Gaffney expressed his confusion as to why the police didn’t bring the matter to council directly, ultimately prompting a directive to staff to meet with police to discuss his concerns further, councillors were eager to provide a safe crossing for students at the Simcoe-Morgan intersection.According to the report to council, city staff conducted a traffic study at the intersection during morning and afternoon pickup on May 8, May 9, and May 10 to record the number of safe gaps in traffic – 18 seconds or more – in which students could cross Simcoe Street.The study concluded there were never fewer than five safe gaps per five-minute interval, which, taken on its own, wouldn’t meet the requirements for a crossing guard at the intersection. However, during the study, staff also observed the traffic congestion Aitken wrote of in her letter, with drivers parking on both sides of the street and obstructing the view of pedestrians while crossing.Ultimately, staff concluded a crossing guard is warranted at that intersection, a notion the subcommittee supported.The annual cost of an additional crossing guard, if approved by council, would be $8,997, funded this year through an anticipated tax surplus before being part of the 2020 budget.“I think it’s an excellent solution to their issue, but what about our challenge to (hire) crossing guards?” Coun. Jo-Dee Burbach asked. “So I’m wondering if our crosswalk plan could be our fallback. A crosswalk could be our fallback if we really can’t get anybody to be a crossing guard there.”In response, Stratford infrastructure and development services director Ed Dujlovic said staff already have plans to install a pedestrian crossover at that intersection as part of a citywide effort to improve pedestrian safety. However, if the city can’t find a suitable crossing guard by September, he would look at pushing up installation of that crossover in his schedule.A crossover and appropriate signage would cost the city roughly $500.Councillors also voted to recommend to council that staff install a 35-metre sidewalk along the north side of Simcoe Street, a project Dujlovic said has already been completed.gsimmons@postmedia.com